Page 95 of Kiss Me Like You Mean It

Fortunately for me, my phone pings and I turn it over. ‘It’s another text from Adrian,’ I tell Tara with a frown. ‘I swear he texts me more now than he did before we broke up.’

‘Are you sure he got the message?’ She sips her drink.

‘Definitely,’ I nod. ‘He was really nice about it.’ But… was he too nice about it? I honestly don’t think he was that attached to the relationship, but have I got it wrong?

My concerns are interrupted when Kat and Mei return, both carrying a cocktail in each hand.

‘That asshole,’ Kat fumes, hopping up onto her seat. ‘I swear to god, this is the last time I even look in his direction.’

‘Tyler’s here with a date,’ Mei murmurs.

‘What a bastard,’ Tara leaps in immediately.

‘I hate him,’ I growl. ‘I knew he was the worst.’

‘Me too,’ Tara agrees. ‘I’ve always said that.’

‘You haven’t even met him.’ Kat manages a small smile.

‘As if we need to actually meet him,’ Tara huffs. ‘Gross.’

There’s a screech of feedback then as Darlene takes to the stage. ‘Good evenin’, friends,’ she says into the microphone. She’s resplendent in a tightly fitted white jumpsuit covered in rhinestones, her hair teased high. The whole room starts cheering.

‘Welcome to Dollyoke,’ Darlene continues when we simmer down. ‘Make sure you have your name down with Randall if you want to sing… it looks like we’ve got a pretty full ticket tonight.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Kat leans across the table, ‘I already put us down for multiple songs.’

‘Excellent,’ Tara approves while I clutch my pink squirrel.

‘What? To sing them?’

‘No, to represent them through the medium of interpretive dance.’ Kat rolls her eyes at me. ‘Of course to sing them.’

‘Absolutely not.’

She turns her big eyes on me. ‘Lee, I need this tonight. The only thing that’s going to get me through is Dolly and my girls.’

‘Oh no,’ I whisper as the truth sinks in. ‘We’re your girls.’

How has this occurred? What happened to successfully lone-wolfing my way through life? This is what comes of making friends… one day everything is fine and normal and the next you’re doing Dolly Parton karaoke in a pink cowboy hat.

‘I’d advise you to start sucking down that pink squirrel,’ Mei says kindly. ‘It’ll go a lot easier.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Kat says brightly. ‘I didn’t put you down for a solo performance, I’m not a monster.’

‘Right,’ I manage. ‘That’s fine then.’

At that moment, Darlene launches into a pitch-perfect rendition of ‘Jolene’, and I get so caught up that when it’s time to perform ‘9 to 5’ I actually let my friends drag me up with them. Sure, I stand at the back, far away from the microphone, mostly laughing as Kat and Tara ham it up for the crowd, but I still do it. And I only hate ninety-five per cent of it. There is a tiny five per cent sliver of me that can admit to having fun, which is completely mind-blowing.

The crowd cheers. People shout out words of encouragement – they call my name, and I recognise so many faces and it feels… nice? There’s a warm glow in my chest and I’m not sure I can blame whatever Darlene’s putting in these pink drinks.

Other people get up to sing. Tara belts out an excellent version of ‘Harper Valley PTA’, one of the most underappreciated Dolly numbers. Kat sings ‘Here You Come Again’, and somehow makes the whole thing sound like a threat directed pointedly at Tyler. Mei and I hoot and holler and dance in our seats.

When Darlene winds up the show with a storming performance of ‘Dumb Blonde’ the audience goes wild, but I’m distracted thinking about Nico again.

Perhaps Tara was right. If I only have a few days left with my husband… maybe it’s time to start making them count.

Chapter Thirty